<p><a href="http://egfi-k12.org/read-the-magazine/">Engineering: Go For It</a> magazine, published by the <a href="http://www.asee.org/">American Society for Engineering Education,</a> features ASU engineering faculty member Armando Rodriguez in its “Class Acts” section. </p><p>Rodriguez, a professor in the School of Electrical, Computer and Energy Engineering in ASU’s Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, is lauded for his work recruiting and mentoring young students in science, engineering, math and technology fields.</p><p>He leads a National Science Foundation-funded program that provides scholarships to students pursuing education in those areas.</p><p><b>Note:</b> The web site link takes you to the online edition of <i>Engineering: Go For It</i>. Flip through to Page 58 to see the article about Rodriquez.</p><p><b>Note:</b> The magazine now is supplemented with an<a href="http://egfi-k12.org/"> interactive web site</a> for K-12 students and their teachers. <br /> </p>

ASU in Dubai – Arab Culture and Tourism is a popular winter program in its second year directed by Mirna Lattouf, a senior lecturer at ASU’s School of Letters & Sciences, and Victor Teye, an associate professor in the College of Public Programs’ School of Community Resources and Development. Program participants will get a taste of culture, cuisine, history, religion, tourism and development in the emerging Emirate of Dubai. They’ll also discover what a future global city will look like.

“Mirna Lattouf has developed a significant study abroad program in Dubai. Her scholarship on Middle Eastern history and culture, religious studies and women’s studies creates a compelling foundation for the examination of this emerging, complex society,” says Frederick C. Corey, ASU’s School of Letters & Sciences director. Download Full Image

The session starts Jan. 1. 2010, and runs through Jan. 16, 2010. The application deadline is September 28, 2010. Applications received after that date will be reviewed depending on space availability. 

Dubai is one of seven states that comprise the United Arab Emirates and is situated in the southeast of the Arabian Peninsula on the Persian Gulf. The states are rich in oil and natural gas and have become highly prosperous, especially the emirate of Dubai. The most populous and second largest emirate, Dubai has become world famous through innovative real-estate projects, sporting events, conferences, as a business and tourism hub, and the playground for the rich and famous worldwide.

“This is a priceless opportunity for our students to see what the future holds because Dubai is the vanguard of what a new society looks like,” says Lattouf. “Students get to live, observe and engage in this society rather than theoretically study about Dubai in a classroom. It also puts ASU at the forefront of President Crow’s global engagement philosophy.”

ASU and the City of Phoenix have cultivated a relationship with Dubai officials in the past few years to discuss possible future joint efforts. Sultan Saeed Nasser al-Mansoori, minister of economy for the Arab Emirates, met with ASU President Michael Crow and Phoenix Mayor Phil Gordon in 2008 as part of a daylong visit to ASU conducted by the Office of the Vice President for Global Engagement. Al-Mansoori is an ASU alum who earned a degree in industrial engineering and management systems in the late 1980s.

Courses that students take in Dubai are offered in tourism development and management, religious studies and interdisciplinary studies, and are designed to fulfill degree requirements for students who major and minor in various programs.

For program details including costs, travel arrangements, living accommodations and credits, please call (602) 496-0638 or visit: https://studyabroad.asu.edu/home/node/6671">https://studyabroad.asu.edu/home/node/6671">https://studyabroad.asu.edu/....

Contact:
Mirna Lattouf, Mirna.Lattouf">mailto:Mirna.Lattouf@asu.edu">Mirna.Lattouf@asu.edu
School of Letters and Sciences
(602) 496-0638

A theatrical production, appearances by two noted Hispanic leaders, and a night of dancing are on the agenda as Arizona State University’s West campus celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month. Events, scheduled from Sept. 15 through Oct. 16, are free and open to the public. Attendees are asked to bring a donation of non-perishable food to support a drive that will benefit local food banks.

“We’re pleased to offer a range of thought-provoking and entertaining events to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month,” says Lucy Berchini, chairwoman of the Hispanic Heritage Committee at ASU’s West campus. “We want to give the campus and the community at large the opportunity to experience the tremendous variety within the Hispanic community.” Download Full Image

The schedule at ASU’s West campus, 4701 W. Thunderbird Road in Phoenix, is:

Reception and one-act play, “A Boy Named Cesar,” Tuesday, Sept. 15:

“A Boy Named Cesar” focuses on a 10-year-old boy in Yuma, Ariz., who would grow up to become one of the nation’s great civil rights leaders. ASU faculty members James Garcia and Julie Amparano wrote this play about labor leader Cesar Chavez; the production is directed by Terry Earp.

The performance is set for 7 p.m. in Second Stage West, lower level of the University Center Building. Prior to the play, a reception celebrating the opening of Hispanic Heritage Month will be held in the La Sala ballroom, also in the University Center Building. The reception starts at 6 p.m.

An evening with Raul Yzaguirre, Tuesday, Sept. 22:

Raul Yzaguirre is one of the most widely recognized national leaders in the Latino community. As the former president of the National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Yzaguirre has been involved in many of the most critical legislative and public policy issues affecting Latinos during the past three decades. He is now a presidential professor of practice at the Center for Community Development and Civil Rights at ASU, where he continues to follow his mission to improve opportunities for Hispanics.

This event starts at 6:30 p.m. in the La Sala ballroom, in the University Center Building.

Brown bag lunch with Armando Contreras, Wednesday, Sept. 30:

Armando Contreras, the new executive director of the Arizona Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, will discuss the recession, the Arizona economy, and how Latino consumers and businesses are making an impact. Contreras has served as director of the Arizona Registrar of Contractors and as executive director of the Governor’s Council on Small Business.  He also is a member of the board of directors of the Arizona Latino Research Enterprise.

This event will be held at noon in Room 265 of the University Center Building.

A Night of Dance, Friday, Oct. 16:

This event features a dance contest in which couples will be judged on their performance of salsa, reggaeton and cumbia dances. At least one member of each couple in the competition must be an ASU student, faculty member or staff member; contact lucy.berchini">mailto:lucy.berchini@asu.edu">lucy.berchini@asu.edu to sign up to compete. Other attendees will have the opportunity to learn and practice their dance steps.

A Night of Dance will be held from 6 to 10 p.m. in the University Center Building’s La Sala ballroom.

For more information about Hispanic Heritage Month events, contact Berchini at lucy.berchini">mailto:lucy.berchini@asu.edu">lucy.berchini@asu.edu or (602) 543-6091.

For the past 10 years, the Arizona State University Museum of Anthropology has played host to a vibrant community-centered Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) Festival Exhibit. This year, the Tempe campus gallery will be filled with traditional altars, cajitas (small, traveling altars) and artwork celebrating this unique holiday and its 10th anniversary at the museum. 

!Que Vivan los Muertos! brings together prominent Chicana/o artists, community members and ASU students in the creation of highly inventive and elaborate altarpieces reflecting a broad array of individual styles, personal meanings and socially shared concerns. An important spiritual celebration among Mexican and Mexican-American communities, the Day of the Dead festival merges ancient Aztec and Roman Catholic rituals and beliefs. Visitors are encouraged to bring offerings, like notes, photographs, candles, flowers and other small items for the public altar in remembrance of loved ones. Download Full Image

The exhibit will run from Oct. 12 to Jan. 8 with an opening celebration on Oct. 29 from 6 to 9 p.m., beginning with a lecture, Searching for Origins: Day of the Dead in Colonial Mexico, by Dr. Carmen King. Admission is free. The Museum of Anthropology is in the School of Human Evolution and Social Change, located at the corner of Tyler and Cady Malls on the ASU Tempe campus. Visitor parking is available in the nearby Fulton Center garage on College Avenue, or in metered spaces around campus.

The 10th Annual Dia de los Muertos Festival Exhibit is a joint collaboration among the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, ASU Museum of Anthropology, CALACA Cultural Center, Inc. and the community.

For more details, call the museum at (480) 965-6224 or visit http://asuma.asu.edu">http://asuma.asu.edu/">http://asuma.asu.edu.

José Ramirez has a plan. One day, he and his father will run their own small business, specializing in tile and granite installations. The plan is closer than ever, he says, thanks to his degree work at Arizona State University and a recent scholarship award from the іAdelante! U.S. Education Leadership Fund.

Ramirez, a third-year collegian who lives in the Maryvale district of Phoenix, enrolled at ASU’s West campus as an accounting major in the School of Global Management and Leadership. With ASU’s recent academic restructuring, Ramirez is now on track to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the W.P. Carey School of Business in May 2011. In the meantime, he is doggedly doing everything he can to apply lessons learned at ASU and take advantage of the opportunity that has come with his recent scholarship, including attending the upcoming 2009 іAdelante! Leadership Institute in San Antonio, Texas. Download Full Image

“Working together side-by-side with my father is a dream that I plan to make a reality," says Ramirez, whose father has been a tile worker for a dozen years and has evolved his craft into works of art. “We have been kicking around this idea for quite some time, and we’d like to see it come true within the next few years.

“I want to be able to help him out from the business side. It is a great chance to bond with him and take part in what he loves to do. To me, it’s the perfect way to fuse together our specialties and provide a service we can be proud of.”

Ramirez graduated with honors from Phoenix Alhambra High School and was able to attend ASU on the strength of a Provost’s Scholarship, as well as an Alhambra Foundation for the Future scholar gift. His most recent award, presented by іAdelante! for exemplary academics and leadership skills, is well deserved.

“Mr. Ramirez’s leadership skills have emerged as he has worked with others,” says Regina Clemens Fox, an English lecturer in ASU’s School of Letters and Sciences. Clemens Fox wrote Ramirez’s letter of recommendation to іAdelante!. “He never lets up on his devotion to what he wants to accomplish. He has strong values and ethics and he works tirelessly to improve. It is impressive and endearing to work with someone who is so focused.”

Ramirez, a first-generation collegian hoping to set an example for his three younger siblings, says he embraces the diversity of the ASU community, which he credits for helping him become a better student and laying the groundwork for his professional life.

“ASU is a very interesting school,” he says. “What strikes me most is that there are students and scholars from across the globe attending and interacting with each other; it enhances the college experience. One of the greatest lessons I have learned by attending ASU is to be accepting of ideas and input from your colleagues. Working alongside people from different backgrounds, ethnicities and cultures has helped me understand that we live in a global community where everyone is not the same in any form or fashion.”

Clemens Fox believes Ramirez’s adaptability and inclusion are outgrowths of his strong family values.

“He works very well with others and has a strong multicultural perspective,” she says, adding that Ramirez once brought his younger brother into a weekend class to expose him to the group dynamics of his English work. “There was such an ease in how he negotiated working with diverse people in the group and his family member.

“He takes advantage of every opportunity to work with others, and the end result has always been improvement for all involved. That spells leadership to me – the willingness to go far and take others along for the ride.”

In the meantime, Ramirez is learning a profession indirectly driven by his father, José Sr.

“I knew ever since high school that I wanted to become a business major, and I decided to pursue accounting because I knew that someday I wanted to open a business with my dad," he says. "Hopefully, one day I can utilize what I learned while studying accounting, earn my CPA and help my dad successfully manage our future company together.”

Ramirez, who says his time-management skills and discipline were honed while a track and field letterman at Alhambra, is thankful for the іAdelante! opportunity and has a keen eye focused on the upcoming Leadership Institute.

“This scholarship isn’t all about the money; it goes beyond that,” he says. “It also gives me a great chance to network with other business students and professionals.”

The three-day conference will feature more than 100 undergraduate students from across the country. They will learn about leadership skills and how different personalities and styles can be successful in any environment, connect with a national network of business professionals and peers while improving communication skills through a variety of workshops, and participate in activities that will include internship and employment opportunities.

“I will be surrounded by other Hispanic business students from around the country," says Ramirez. "It represents a chance for me to really start to step outside my comfort zone and into the real world, and it’s a great opportunity for me to grow as a student and as a scholar. As a representative for ASU, I am privileged to show others what this university is all about.”

In spite of the nation's economic crisis, Arizona State University continues to increase both student access and quality, according to projections released by the university. ASU enrollment will set another record, with overall numbers expected to exceed 69,000.

Last fall's enrollment was just over 67,000. This year's number represents a 25-percent increase in just seven years, from 55,000 in 2002. ASU has grown its enrollment over this time period in order to keep up with rapid growth in the number of eligible high school graduates in Arizona. Download Full Image

In that same seven years ASU has ramped up its recruitment of top scholars, the ethnic diversity of its student body and the financial assistance it provides to students. Some indicators:

• A freshman class of more than 9,200 will include a record 118 National Hispanic Scholars, bringing the total to around 335. ASU has perhaps the highest number of National Hispanic Scholars in the country, up from only 75 in 2002.

• The class is 34 percent ethnic minority, reflecting the demographics of the state. This represents a quantum leap from 2002, when the freshman class was 22 percent ethnic minority.

• More than 600 National Merit Scholars are enrolled at ASU, about 160 of them new freshmen. ASU's National Merit Scholars have increased 61 percent since 2002.

• ASU attracted 12 of the state's 17 Flinn Scholars this fall, an elite group of top Arizona students who are awarded full funding at any Arizona university of their choice.

• ASU awarded more than $519 million in financial aid last year to boost student access, a record amount. Low-income Arizona freshmen enrollment increased by 873 percent from 2003 to 2008.

Indications are that a college education is seen as more valuable than ever. Graduate enrollment is up almost 8 percent, and undergraduate enrollment is up more than 3 percent. About 5 percent more students are going to school full-time.

Retention of last year's freshmen is expected to surpass 80 percent for the first time, reflecting a concerted effort to help students succeed through increased academic services and advising.

In Tempe, 70 percent of freshmen now live on campus, reflecting ASU's emphasis on living and learning communities that help students succeed academically and reach their goals.

"The reputation of ASU and the strength of our academic programs continues to increase, enabling us to enroll not only the top students in the state, but also a very strong representation of talented students from around the country," says Elizabeth D. Capaldi, ASU's executive vice president and provost.

"Since most of our students remain in Arizona after graduation, this represents a tremendous gain for the state. Our goal is to make sure that no qualified Arizona student is denied access to a college degree. We want to increase the number of college-educated individuals who can meet the needs of Arizona's future."

An already successful Arizona State University program that enables rural school districts in American Indian communities to “grow their own” elementary and middle school teachers is adding more support services in Chinle and Sells, Ariz., to help local residents achieve bachelor’s degrees and teacher certifications. This expansion of the PDS-TENET (Professional Development School-Teaching Excellence Network through Educational Technology) program is made possible by a three-year, $1.28 million grant from the U.S. Department of Education Indian Education Program.

PDS-TENET, an initiative of http://ctel.asu.edu/" target="_blank">ASU’s College of Teacher Education and Leadership (CTEL), brings high-quality university coursework to future teachers in the Chinle Unified School District in the Navajo Nation and the Sells-based Indian Oasis-Baboquivari United School District in the Tohono O’odham Nation. PDS partnerships also are in place with several high-need urban districts in metropolitan Phoenix and districts in Douglas and San Luis, Ariz. Download Full Image

“Receiving this grant will enable us to make an outstanding program even better,” says Michelle Rojas, project director for the new PDS-TENET-WIN grant (WIN stands for “with Indian Nations”). “Through the WIN component, we can reach out to recruit and support Native American community college students and help ensure they are prepared to enter and succeed in the PDS program.”

The WIN grant will add academic advisors in Chinle and Sells who are familiar with Diné College or Tohono O’odham Community College coursework, transfer agreements and ASU prerequisites. Advisors will work with potential PDS students to ensure they meet PDS program admission requirements. Collaboration with both community colleges will ensure that required prerequisite coursework is offered in the evening, to meet the needs of working adults.

“The grant also enables us to provide support to potential and current students in skill areas such as math, writing, and test-taking,” says Coleen Maldonado, project evaluator for the WIN grant. “There are many talented potential teachers who possess strong intellectual capabilities, yet need additional help in boosting their math, writing and/or test-taking skills. Being able to offer tutorial support in these areas will benefit not only potential PDS students but current students who need to pass Arizona’s standardized teacher certification exam before they can receive their teaching certificates.”

Students in the rural PDS program, some of whom work as teacher’s aides in the Chinle and Indian Oasis-Baboquivari districts, take evening classes at school sites in their communities. Some PDS classes are offered through interactive videoconference technology. PDS also immerses future teachers in the school setting, providing three times the amount of hands-on, practical classroom experience as traditional teacher education programs.

“There is a severe shortage of American Indian teachers in Arizona, especially in elementary school districts with high American Indian enrollment,” says Franklin Elliott, ASU PDS coordinator for the Chinle PDS site. “PDS is playing a critical role in developing outstanding Native teachers to serve as role models for children in our community’s schools. And the program’s format is ideal for adults in rural areas who cannot relocate to a larger metropolitan area to earn their teaching degrees. I view this program as helping to put education back in the hands of the local community.”

“The success of the PDS program to date is an historic achievement for the Chinle Unified School District and ASU, and we are pleased to know that the WIN grant will provide additional support to help students succeed in the program,” says Jesus de la Garza, CUSD superintendent. Seventeen students in the first PDS cohort in Chinle received their ASU elementary education degrees in December 2007.

“Our partnership with the College of Teacher Education and Leadership has truly been mutually beneficial. CTEL is providing comprehensive assistance with regard to instruction, professional development, student and support services, and evaluation,” de la Garza says.

The WIN grant has another important benefit in that it provides students a living wage during student teaching, according to Sonia Saenz, ASU PDS coordinator for the Sells PDS site.

“The two Tohono O’odham teacher’s aides we currently have in our PDS program work two jobs to meet family needs. They will have to stop working when they enter the student teaching period,” Saenz says. “Many Tohono O’odham members cannot afford to stop working completely, and this is a factor that keeps them from furthering their education. The WIN grant provides them with a new stepping stone.”

Eligible participants in the WIN grant program are individuals who are considered to be Native American or American Indian, as defined by their tribal nation. Over the course of the three-year grant, 40 students will receive assistance through PDS-TENET-WIN.

ASU’s College of Teacher Education and Leadership launched the Professional Development School program in Phoenix in 2000. In 2006, PDS was expanded from metropolitan Phoenix to Arizona communities including Chinle, Douglas and Sells. A program was added in San Luis in 2008. PDS already has produced 35 new graduates outside of metro Phoenix, with another 63 students currently enrolled.

CTEL administers teacher preparation programs offered across all four of ASU’s campuses including Downtown Phoenix, Polytechnic, Tempe and West, as well as partner school districts all over Arizona.

The ASU Graduate College will honor more than sixty students who have been recognized for their academic achievement and promise as future leaders by the national Gates Millennium Scholars program. The reception will be held on Wednesday, September 2, 2009.

The Gates Millennium Scholars program provides financial support to high-achieving underrepresented students pursuing undergraduate and graduate education. The program has funded more than 13,000 students across the country since it was launched in 1999 with a $1 billion grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

Special guests at the invitation-only reception will include Dr. Delia Saenz, Vice Provost, Office of Executive Vice President and Provost of the University; Dr. Mark Jacobs, Dean of Barrett, The Honors College; Michael Begaye, Director of American Indian Student Support Services; and Dr. Peterson Zah of the ASU and American Indian Affairs office. Download Full Image

The Graduate College also hosts meetings of the Gates Millennium Scholars Organization (GMSO), formed in 2008 by Gates scholars. GMSO meetings provide the opportunity for Gates scholars to network with each other, as well as scholars, professors, employers and other community members, to promote leadership development and community service.

It’s a source of support, both academic and personal, for some 240 students on Arizona State University’s West campus. The TRiO Academic Achievement Center offers a range of services including tutoring, learning skills workshops, mentoring, social activities and more.

The federally funded TRiO program serves first-generation university students, those who are income-eligible, and students with documented disabilities. Many of the students served by TRiO meet more than one of the eligibility criteria. Download Full Image

“If it weren’t for TRiO, I wouldn’t still be in school,” says history and English major Kelly Irvin, who is the first person in her family to attend a university.

“I came from an environment that placed no value on education, and at first I felt like a fish out of water in a higher education setting,” Irvin says. “TRiO staff members understand my needs and concerns and how to address them. Thanks to their support, I have gone from feeling like I didn’t belong at a university to preparing to take the Law School Admission Test (LSAT).”

Irvin, who expects to complete her two bachelor’s degrees next May, earned a 4.0 GPA during the spring 2009 semester. She also has expanded her TRiO involvement by becoming a member of Team TRiO, a new community outreach and service organization on the West campus.

“We’re proud of the achievements of TRiO students,” says Sharon Smith, director of the TRiO Academic Achievement Center. “Over the past academic year, students in the program maintained an average GPA of 3.05. Nearly three-quarters of TRiO students received scholarships, either through ASU or from private donors. Most of those scholarships are merit-based.”

Irvin is a recipient of ASU’s Maroon and Gold Scholarship, while fellow TRiO student Crystal Castro received a Provost Scholarship. Castro is a graduate of Phoenix’s Maryvale High School who is preparing to enter her sophomore year. She says it took a little time for her to realize all the ways TRiO could assist her.

“I started out just using the computers in the TRiO resource room, but then I began to realize the program had much more to offer,” Castro says. “The chance to talk to mentors has been very valuable to me. I’ve also enjoyed the chance to go to cultural events and make friends with students I’ve met through TRiO.”

Smith says an important part of TRiO’s success is the fact that staff members have the ability to reach out to students from a range of backgrounds and ages. “It’s gratifying to hear positive comments from students like Crystal, who came to ASU right out of high school, as well as Kelly, who took a longer route to the university,” she says.

Both Irvin and Castro point to mentoring from faculty and staff as an important TRiO offering. Students also can receive tutoring in a wide range of topics, from math and statistics to literacy and writing development, along with individual help in skills such as note-taking.

TRiO offers regular workshops focusing on subjects such as study skills, time management, and test-taking. Staff members also can help students identify their individual learning styles and how they can adjust their study strategies based on those styles.

“Beyond the help with things like study skills, what TRiO really has given me is confidence,” Irvin says.

“Part of having confidence is knowing when and where to look for help,” Smith says. “Because many TRiO students are first-generation college students, they can’t rely on family members to help them navigate the university system. So in addition to the many services we offer in the TRiO Academic Achievement Center, we also help students make connections with other offices on campus that can offer them support and assistance.”

The West campus TRiO office is now accepting applications from ASU students who wish to receive services during the 2009/10 academic year. For more information, call (602) 543-8121, visit www.west.asu.edu/sa/trio/">http://www.west.asu.edu/sa/trio/">www.west.asu.edu/sa/trio/, or stop by the TRiO Academic Achievement Center in Room 220 of the University Center Building.

For the second summer in a row, Arizona State University’s West campus hosted a three-day Summer Leadership Symposium, providing 150 high-achieving Latino/Latina high school students with an introduction to the college experience.

The June 25-27 event was presented by AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute, a year-round Phoenix-based college access program for Latino/a youths.  Aguila is the Spanish word for “eagle.” Download Full Image

“The event serves as entry into the year-round AGUILA program and provides a comprehensive and rigorous experience that prepares students for their college journey,” says AGUILA CEO and founder Rosemary Ybarra-Hernandez.  “It also offers the bonding experience between participants that we know is critical to their success as they move into the year-round program where they will work together in preparing for college.”

The three-day symposium filled to capacity, as 150 students took up residency in the apartment-style Las Casas facility at the West campus. Student were guided through their three days by ASU faculty, AGUILA staff and mentors, and AGUILA alumni who served as resident assistants.  The students attended a variety of sessions, including an interactive opportunity with local professionals and community leaders, who shared their educational experiences with the “Aguilitas.”  Also featured was a college fair that included universities and colleges from around the country, as well as a “Major Fair” offering insights into the many college majors available to incoming students.  Three 30-minute mock college classes were presented, allowing students to move from one subject to another from a list of 12 courses associated with selected college majors.

“The symposium was nothing like I have ever experienced,” wrote one high school student following the event.  “It has changed my views on the Hispanic culture and I now understand how big of a problem it is to not get a good education. I now feel the inspiration to go to college. AGUILA came at the perfect time for me because I was lost and I had no idea how I was going to get to college, and how I was going to get support. Thanks to you, I now have all the information I need to get through high school, and to get to college.”

“There is nothing more important to Latinos than guaranteeing that our children stay in school and pursue higher learning,” says Ybarra-Hernandez, who unveiled the AGUILA Youth Leadership Institute in 2006 and has recruited youths representing 32 high schools in the Valley, Tucson and Coolidge for this year’s program who represent the 72 schools AGUILA serves.  “We all know a high school diploma just isn’t good enough anymore.  The symposium is designed to give students the skill sets need to move to the next level, while also creating an ongoing support network, as well as information and resources.

“Our Latino students need us; we truly are the ‘village,’ providing them with a certain comfort level that allows them to grow and develop into confident, committed and conscientious individuals who will succeed in college and beyond.”

The students enrolled in the symposium were picked based on a combination of criteria, including academic achievement – most have a 3.0 GPA or higher – personal recommendations, and an expressed desire to pursue a higher education.

José E. Nañez, Sr., an ASU President’s Professor who is the executive director for community outreach in the office of University Student Initiatives and again participated in the symposium, says the event was groundbreaking and valuable.

“Students found the opportunity to collaborate with peers from high schools throughout the state,” says the professor of psychology and neuroscience in the Division of Social and Behavioral Science at ASU’s New College of Interdisciplinary Arts and Sciences.  “The peer activities allowed them to work as groups to problem solve and, through friendly cross-group competition, they came up with unique solutions to the issues presented them.

“Coming together to share and discuss their group solutions also allowed the students to benefit from the solutions that other groups came up with.  These types of activities help them learn there is always more than one solution to a problem or issue.”

Among the three-day highlights was a solidarity/poverty dinner that helped the students understand the challenges of those less fortunate.  The “Dream Act” – the story of a courageous immigrant facing deportation – was performed, followed by a radio interview with the play’s main character.  “Honoring boxes” were created by the students in an exercise designed to remind them of their experience and lessons learned while at the symposium.  Throughout the event community, business and educational leaders visited with the participants.  Closing ceremonies allowed parents to voice their appreciation for the event.

“I wanted to thank you for allowing me to participate in Aguila’s symposium over the weekend,” wrote another participating student.  “I absolutely had the time of my life! The keynote speeches were inspirational and motivated me.  You have motivated me to try my best to go to college as a leader.”

Parents of the participating “Aguilitas” learned as much as their aspiring collegians, says Ybarra-Hernandez.

“Participating in a specially designed AGUILA Parent University at the symposium allowed parents to tour the campus, putting to rest their fears while also providing them with valuable information from students, faculty, staff and volunteers.  Many of the activities were designed to reassure the parents and help them understand that we are all together on this journey for their children’s success.”